Trolley-clamp.



T. VARNEY. TROLLEY CLAMP. APPLIOATION PILEUMAY s 1907.

Patented A'ug.17, 1909.

WITNESSES:

aZZ 'wIio m it may concern: Be it known that I, THEODORE VA-RNEY, a

c iti'zenofthe United States, and a resident of Pittslourg, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, hare inventeda new "and;useful Im 'rovement in Trolley-Clamps,

of which the, ollowing is a specification.

My invention relates 'to ineansfor snsipending electric line conductors,and has special reference tosuch means as ai efadaptedfor use with acatenary form of trolley line suspension and are commonly known trolleyclamps.

I The object of my invention is to provide an' improved clampingdevice'for securing other purposes, grooved conductors are often mentwith the trolley conductor.

employed and, in such cases, trolley clamps are often utilized winchcomprisesuitable jaws and means for holding them in engageclampingdevices have almostinvariably been adapted for assembling as they wereapplied to the line so that the time required for making theinstallation was unduly prolonged.

1 According to my present invention, employ a trolley clamp which isespecially simple and may preferably be completely assembled before itis shipped from the factory. A very short time is thus required tosecure the clamp to-the conductor in a rigid and permanent manner.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a sectional elevation of atrolley line embodying my improved clamping device, gs. 2, 3 and 4 aredetail views of the clamping device shown in Fig. l, and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of an electric line in which a well knowncat-e cry form of suspension is'employed.

Referring to the drawings, a grooved trolley conductor 1 is suspendedfrom a messenger cable 2 by means ofhanger rods 3 each of which issecured to the formerby means of atrolley clamp L and to the latter by acable clamp 5. The cable clamp may be of-any suitable construction, suchas that illustrated in Fig- 1, which comprises a loop 6 surrounding thecable 2 and provided with two ears 7, the upper extremity of the rod 3TROLLEY-CLAMP;

Specification of Letters Fatent.

Applicationfiled lay 6,1907. Serial No. 372",165.'Q

These 1'11 EODORE wa ver, or prrgrssnae, PENNSYLVANIA, assten'on TOivnsrinonoiisnnrnernic & MANUFACTURING eoMPAnr; A COBPOR-ATIONOFPENNsrLv NI j retreat d Aug. 17, 19cc.

being-secured between the ears by means of a'bolt 7 1 The trolley clampcomprises interchangeable clamping .jawsS and a cup 9, having taperinginner walls at one end which form a substantially frnsto-conical chamber10,

a tapped hole 11 being provided in the base wall of the chamber toreceive one extremity of the hanger rod 3. The clamping jaws 8 areprovided with expanded shanks 12 Which, when assembled, form'afrnstoconical head that is adjustable w1tlnn the cup 9. .The jaws areforced together, when'they are crowded'into the smaller part ofthechamber 10, by the rod 3 which is pressed against the outerextremities of their shanks. The cup 9 is first formed withsubstantially cylindrical walls, asshown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, and,after the clamping jaws 8 are so placed that their shanks extend intothe cup, the side walls of the cup are forced into the shape whichproduces the frustoconical chamber 10 illustrated in Fig. 1. Thisresultmay be accomplished under \81 heavy pressure obtained in asuitabldswaging machine. After the parts are formed and assembled asshown in Fig. 1, it is impossible to remove the jaws from the cup, but asutlicient adjustment is permitted to allow the hooked portion of thejaws to engage the grooves in the trolley conductor.

'The portion of the aws which engage the trolley conductor may, ofcourse, be adapted for use with conductors of circular crosssection andother i'ariatiinis' in the. size and arrangement of the details of thedevice may beeifected within the scope of my invention.

l claim as my invention: l. A trolley clamp comprising a cup having endwalls and downwardl and inwardly inclined side walls, a pair ofjawshaving expanded shanks, the inner end of each of which is largerthanthe maximum opening between the adjacent side wall of the cup andthe other shank, and means for forcing the shanks against the side wallsof the cup to produce a clam-ping action between the jaws. I

2. A trolley clamp comprising a cuphaving end walls and downwardly andinwardly tapering side walls, a pair of jaws having flaring shanks theends of which are located in'the cup and each of which is larger thanthe maximum opening between the adjacent.

side wall of the cup and the other shank,

and ineans for producing a clamping action between the jaws. v

3. A trolley clamp comprising a cup having end walls and downwardly andinwardly tapering sidewalls, a pair of jaws having flaring shanks theends of which are located in the cupvand each of which is larger thanthe maximum opening between the adjacent side wall of the cup and theother shank,-

anda hanger rod adapted to both force the jaws together and to suspendthe cup.

5. A trolley clamp comprising acup having end walls and downwardly andinwardly tapering side walls, a pair of jaws having hooked projections,flarin shanks integral therewith the ends of which are located in thecup and eacli'of which is larger than the maximum opening between theadjacent side will of the cup and theother-shank, and a hanger rod whichis screw-threaded into the base wall of the: outer ends of the shanks. v

6. The combination with a trolley co'n ductor and a trolley clampcomprising a cup having end walls and downwardly and in wardly taperingside walls, a pair of jaws having hooked projections to engage thetrolley conductor, flaring shanks integral with said projections whichare located, in

the cup and each of which is larger than the maximum opening between theadjacent side wall of the cup'and the othertshank, and a iippa-ndengages the hanger rod the lower end of which is screw- I threaded intothe base wall of the cup and engages the outer ends of the shanks, ofa-n'iessenger cable. and a messenger cable clamp detachably fastened tothe upper end of said hanger rod.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 30th dayof April,

' THEODORE VARNEY.

Witnesses: I

E; E. Rosa, BIRNEY HINEs.

